Chapter 53 Chapter 53
Harry and Hermione cast some spells, but all rebounded off the Basilisk's scales.
Only Snape could inflict a wound on its body, threads of black blood splattered the floor. The Basilisk swung its tail, crushing the room's walls.
The loud sounds of the fight woke up all the Gryffindors, students rushed out of their dormitories with expressions of panic on their faces.
"Oh my goodness!" Colin wiped his eyes, unable to believe what was happening before him. Then, a brilliant idea struck him, he turned around and ran to his dormitory to fetch his camera.
"What's going on, what's happening here?" Percy asked as he emerged.
The next moment, his eyes nearly popped out of his head, he couldn't believe the sight before him, a gigantic serpent was wreaking havoc in the common room. Percy's reaction was swift; he instinctively drew his wand.
A red bolt struck the Basilisk but rebounded.
H. The constant attacks made the Basilisk slightly frantic; it wanted to demolish those people, but before it could do so, Snape's magic struck it again, forcing it back.
In the other corner of the Common Room, Evan, Harry, and Hermione were fighting against Ron, who was under Tom Riddle's control, sporadically casting spells.
Riddle seemed to be in a hurry but remained calm nonetheless.
Riddle tried to dodge the curse flying towards him but couldn't evade it. With a simple gesture of his hands, he made the three spells flying towards him dissipate.
Evan squinted his eyes.
After casting Stupefy, he quickly recited a more potent spell; the magic gathered swiftly, the spell felt overwhelmingly oppressive, the wand emitted a pale blue light.
"It's amusing; you want to use the Dark Magic I taught you to attack me! However, I'll admit I despise you, Mudblood! I would love to keep playing with you if it weren't for this wand," Tom said, glaring at Evan.
Suddenly, he turned and uttered some words to the Basilisk.
When the Basilisk heard the call, it ignored its fight with Snape and lunged towards Evan. Its mouth was enormous, big enough to swallow them whole; its fangs were like silver swords, thin, shiny, and dripping with venom.
It lunged at them; Evan halted his incantation, and Hermione stood pale behind him.
The two struggled to dodge, but it was too late; the Basilisk was too fast.
Without hesitation, he embraced Hermione, turning his back to the Basilisk, feeling the girl trembling in his arms.
The next second, Harry ran towards them, holding a wooden chair in his hands and hurled it forcefully at the Basilisk.
But it was to no avail; the Basilisk's speed did not decrease at all.
Just as they thought they would be swallowed by the Basilisk, Snape appeared in front of them.
His face was grim, the light from his wand grew more intense.
Explosion!
Snape was thrown against the wall and then slumped to the ground, blood oozing from his head; he had been knocked out!
"It's finally resolved, so now..." Riddle looked disdainfully at the unconscious Snape on the ground.
By the way the Basilisk was moving now, Evan could tell that the curse he imposed was fading.
Evan's heart squeezed; if he could undo what he had done days ago, then the Basilisk problem would be resolved.
Without the Basilisk, Tom Riddle would be more vulnerable since during the previous fight, Evan realized that Tom was manipulating the magic produced by the broken wand to cast potent spells, but the wand was reaching its limit.
Evidently, Tom understood that his time was running out, so he ordered the Basilisk to kill.
Just as Tom Riddle spoke with a hiss, a red-haired girl ran down from the upper floor, it was Ginny!
"Ron, what are you doing?"
She looked pale with a fearful expression, yet her eyes gleamed with determination. She was still in her pink pajamas, gripping her wand as she cast a spell of crimson towards the serpent.
Her spell interrupted the conversation between Riddle and the basilisk, which dodged and lunged towards Ginny.
"No!" exclaimed Harry and Hermione, horrified.
Evan hastily cast a spell, but to no avail.
They tried to save her, but Ginny was too close to the basilisk.
Just as everyone closed their eyes, too afraid to look, Ron suddenly leaped forward and rescued Ginny.
Ron seemed to regain his composure, tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes.
"Run, run, I will hold him off. It's my fault for trusting that man, I never should have..."
Ron's pallid face contorted with pain, as Tom seemed to be regaining control. Soon, Tom was back in charge, a look of disgust on his face as he flung Ginny, who was in his arms.
"He took over unexpectedly, but he is too feeble, his body has little life left. It is time to end this ridiculous charade. I will embody Salazar Slytherin and cleanse Hogwarts of all mudbloods and sympathizers; those within this body shall perish."
"You stand no chance, Tom Riddle!"
Evan raised a music box, a magical device he had finished a few days earlier, which recorded sounds.
As soon as he opened it, the crowing of a rooster filled the air.
The colossal body of the basilisk trembled violently upon hearing the sound.
Terrified, it wanted to flee, no longer obeying Tom's commands, seeking to retreat to the bathroom.
"No! Accursed mudbloods!" Tom raged, mounting the basilisk's body. "You will regret this; the boy's body shall forever remain in the chamber!"
"You cannot take Ron."
As the basilisk tried to escape, Harry grabbed Ron's body, while Evan paused before grasping Harry.
In the next moment, like a speeding car, they were whisked out of the common room and vanished into the dark pipes of the bathroom.